468 CHRISTIAN MORALITY, VIZ. [SÉRM. SXVIII, how much of truth and goodness may be found atnengst each' party, where all agree to hold Christ Jesus the head ; though he dares not renounce a grain of truth or necessary duty, for the sake of peace, and he would contend earnestly, where providence calls him, for the essential articles of faith which were once delivered to the saints; for he knows the "wisdom that is from above is first pure, and then peaceable," James iii. 17. Yet he takes this occasion to prove that some truths or some practices, are articles of less importance to the christian life ; that they are not worthyof such unchristian quar- rels; and thus he attempts, as far as possible, to recon- cile the angry disputers. Sometimes he has the happi- ness to shew them both that they fight in the dark ; he explains their opinions and their contests, and puts the best sense upon both of them : And when he bath brought them into the light, he makes it appear that they are friends and brethren; and that religion and the gospel are safe on both sides, if they would dwell together with- out fighting, but that it is sorely endangered by their bat= ties. So St. Paul dealt with the Jewish and gentile chris- Cans, and assured them that they both belonged to the kingdom of God, and the church of Christ, though they quarrelled, about flesh, and herbs, and holy-days. How lovely, bow glorious, how desirable is such a character as this ! I confess when a party -spirit runs high among the dif- ferent sects of religion, or the different divisions ofman- kind, this most amiable virtue is called by the scanda- lous names of indifferency, and lukewarxnness, and trim ming; and it sustains a world of reproaches from both the quarrelling parties. Moderation, though it is the blessed principle, which awakensand assists men to be- come peace-makers, yet at the same time when it enters into the battle to divide the contenders, . it receives an unkind stroke from either side. This the reconciler ex- pects, and he bears it for the sake of union and love. The moderate man in cases of private property or in- terest, does not insist upon the utmost of his own right with a stiff and unyielding obstinacy, but abates of his just pretensions for the sake of peace ; and what he prac- tises himself, he persuades others to practise in the like çontests. This is that moderatión and gentleness which
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